Adjustable follower plate for pump plungers



Feb, 3, 1925.

R. A. MUELLER ADJUSTABLE FOLLOWER PLATE FOR PUMP PLUNGERS Filed May 6, 1924 WWW Patented Feb. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES I 1,524,798 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT A. MUELLER, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO GRAY TOOL COMPANY, A

GORPORATIO'N OF TEXAS.

ADJUSTABLE FOLLOWER PLATE FOR PUMBPLUNGERS. Application filed my 6, 1924. Serial No. 711,505.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. MUELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Adjustable Follower Plate for Pump Plungers, of which the following is a. specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in an adjustable follower plate for pump plungers.

One object of the invention is to provide a plunger for pumps and the like, having a surrounding packing sleeve, and equipped with means for expanding said sleeve so that it may at all times form a close fit in the pump cylinder. With the aboveand other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, opera;- tion and "arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a pump cylinder with the plunger therein shown partly in section.

Figure 2 shows an end view of the plunger Figure 3 shows an end view of a preferred form of wrench specially adapted for use in adjusting the packing; and,

Figure 4 shows a side view of the wrench.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the cylinder, and the numeral 2 designates the plunger rod. The end of this rod is tapered and the plunger is secured onto said tapered portion.

The device includes the plunger proper 3, and the follower plate 4, the former of which is reduced forming an annular shoulder 5, near one end and having its other end provided with a. recess, as at 6, to receive the nut 7 which is threaded on the end of the rod to hold the plunger 3 securely thereon, and the latter of which is cup shaped and is fitted 'over the free end of, the rod 2, with a sliding fit, with its bottom or inner end bearing against the adjacent end of the plunger 3. A nut 8 is screwed onto said end of the rod 2 against the bottom of the follower plate 4.

The follower plate 4 has a sleeve 9 threaded thereon, which is held against turning,

' relative to the plunger 3, by means of a set said packing.

vmounted, one of said screw 10, whose head moves in a keyway 11 in said plunger.

A packing sleeve 12, formed of'suitable expa'nsible packing material surrounds the plunger and lies in the annular groove formed between the shoulder 5, and the opposing end of the sleeve 9. The abutting end of said sleeve 9, presents an outwardly flared face 13 to the packing sleeve, caus-' mg 'sald sleeve to bulge outwardly, or convex, when said sleei e is tightened up against By turning the follower plate 4, the sleeve- 9 may be forced against said packing sleeve to expand it when it becomes Worn so as not to fit closely in thecylinder. The follower plate 4 has oppositely disposed set screws 14, 14, screwed therein with. projecting heads to receive a. socket wrench, ishi15, by means of which it may be turned. socket wrench 16 adapted to fit the nuts 7 and 8 for screwing and unscrewingthem. These wrenches are assembled as in Figure 4 in adjustin the packin and areturned by a sultable liand rod to fie inserted in the openings, as 17 and 18, and they may be simultaneously applied, in expandin the packing, and the nut 8 first loosene and then the sleeve 9 screwed up,and the nut 8 then again tightened against'the follower plate 4, without removing the wrenches.

What I claim is 1. In combination, a plunger fixed on a plunger rod and formed with an annular shoulder, a follower plate rotatable on said rod, a sleeve threaded over said follower plate, means holding the sleeve against rotation relative to the lplunger, a packing element around the p unger btween said shoulder and sleeve.

2. A plunger including two sections, a plunger rod on which said sections are Sections "being formed with an annular shoulder, a. sleeve threaded over the other section, a packing element between said sleeve and shoulder.

3. A plunger including .two sections, a plunger rod ,on which said sections are mounted, one ofsaid sections being formed with an annular shoulder, a sleeve threaded over the other section, a packing element s socket wrench is combined with a.

between said sleeve and shoulder, and nuts threaded onto said rod 4. In combination, a rod, a plunger fixed on the rod, a follower plate rotatable thereon, a sleeve threaded over the follower plate, an abutment on the plunger, a packing element between the sleeve and abutment.

5. In combination, a rod, a plunger on the rod, a follower plate rotatable thereon, a sleeve threaded over the follower plate, an abutment on the plunger, a packing element between the sleeve and abutment, and means for holding the sleeve against rotation, relative to the plunger.

6. In combination, a rod, a plunger fixed on the rod, a follower plate rotatable thereon, a sleeve threaded over the follower plate, an abutment on the plunger, ment between the sleeve and abutment, and nuts threaded onto the rod to retain the follower plate against detachment.

7. In combination, a rod, a. plunger fixed on the rod, a follower plate rotatable therea. packing eleon, a-sleeve threaded over the follower plate, an abutment on the plunger, a packing element betweenthe sleeve and abutment, and nuts on the rod, and abutting against the plun er and follower plate, respectively.

8. n combination, a rod, a plunger fixed on the rod, a follower plate rotatable thereon, a sleeve threaded over the follower plate, an abutment on the plunger, a packing element between the sleeve and abutment, and

nuts on the rod and abutting against the plunger and follower plate respectively, and means for holding the sleeve against rotation relative to the plunger.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT A. MUELLER.

Witnesses:

E. V. HARDWAY, JOHN WM. PALMER. 

